Anselm's Ontological Argument Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What type of arguments are classified as arguments from reason?

  • Teleological arguments
  • Ontological arguments (correct)
  • Empirical arguments
  • Pragmatic arguments

    • Anselm's ontological argument is based on experiential evidence.

    False

    Who was Anselm and what was his contribution to the ontological argument?

    Anselm was a British Catholic monk who formulated the ontological argument in his book 'Proslogion', aiming to prove God's existence through reason.

    Anselm argues that the greatest imaginable being is defined as _____.

    <p>God</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the concepts with Anselm's argument:

    <p>A Priori = Based on logic and reasoning Psalm 14 = The fool has said in his heart there is no God Imaginary vs. Real = Real things are better than imaginary things Modus Ponens = A form of logical argumentation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes the essence of Anselm's first ontological argument?

    <p>It states that real existence is greater than imaginary existence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Anselm's argument suggests that God does not need to exist in reality to be conceived.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the phrase 'that than which nothing greater can be conceived' in Anselm's argument?

    <p>It defines God as the greatest being imaginable, implying that His existence is necessary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characteristic must God have according to Anselm's argument?

    <p>Necessary existence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gaunilo fully supports Anselm's ontological argument without any criticisms.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does necessary existence mean?

    <p>Existence that does not depend on anything else.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Anselm's first ontological argument concludes that God has the characteristic of ________.

    <p>existence in reality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main criticism provided by Gaunilo?

    <p>Anselm's argument leads to absurd conclusions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Anselm, it is better for something to exist necessarily than contingently.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does contingent existence rely on?

    <p>Something else</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their definitions:

    <p>Necessary existence = Existence that does not depend on anything else Contingent existence = Existence dependent on external factors Reductio ad absurdum = An argument showing absurd consequences of a position The greatest conceivable being = God according to Anselm's definition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Gaunilo argue about the existence of God?

    <p>We cannot prove God's existence from our conception of him.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Anselm believes that having a partial idea of God is enough to prove his existence.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Descartes, what two things can we know for certain?

    <p>That we exist and that God exists.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gaunilo suggests that God is so _____ and _____ that humans cannot fully conceive of him.

    <p>infinite, transcendent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosopher with their argument regarding God's existence.

    <p>Gaunilo = We cannot prove God's existence based on our incomplete understanding. Anselm = A partial idea is sufficient to argue for God's existence. Descartes = Existence is a perfection that God possesses.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property is essential to Descartes' argument for God's existence?

    <p>Perfection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Descartes relies on empirical evidence to argue for the existence of God.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Descartes relate the argument for God's existence to the concept of a triangle?

    <p>He states that just as facts about a triangle can be derived from its definition, God's existence can be derived from his definition as the supremely perfect being.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Kant's stance on the existence of God?

    <p>God's existence should be assumed for morality to function.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant believes that existence adds to the features of a subject.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason Kant argues that existence cannot be a predicate?

    <p>It does not provide new information about the subject.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant thinks that the study of God should be kept in the ______ classroom.

    <p>Ethics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosophers with their view on God's existence:

    <p>Kant = Proves God exists through morality Anselm = Ontological argument assumes existence is a predicate Descartes = Existence enhances perfection of God Hume = Skeptical of knowledge about God</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant compare the existence of an imagined object to?

    <p>An elephant</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Kant, existence is part of the definition of God.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Kant, what assumption do Anselm and Descartes make about existence?

    <p>They assume that existence makes God greater or more perfect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Kant argue about existence in relation to descriptions?

    <p>Existence does not change a description.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Kant believes that the statement 'God exists' attributes a feature to God.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Kant, what does existence tell us?

    <p>What the world contains.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Malcolm argues that ____ existence is a predicate that can change a description.

    <p>necessary</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Malcolm view necessary existence in relation to God?

    <p>It transforms the understanding of God to a self-sustaining being.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Anselm's form 1 works if we accept that necessary existence is a perfection.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is Kant's second criticism towards Anselm and Descartes?

    <p>Analytic statements can't tell us about the world.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following philosophers with their arguments related to existence:

    <p>Kant = Existence does not add to a description Malcolm = Necessary existence is a predicate Anselm = Defines God in terms of perfection Descartes = Links existence to God's characteristics</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the author mean by analytic statements?

    <p>Statements only about ideas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The author believes that understanding ideas is sufficient to determine the existence of things in reality.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship the author describes between ideas and reality?

    <p>You cannot get from ideas (analytic statements) to reality (synthetic statements).</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the author, to verify the existence of something, we must look around the world and __________.

    <p>ask experts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following concepts with their descriptions:

    <p>Analytic statements = Statements only about ideas Synthetic statements = Statements that describe reality Unicorns = A conceptual idea that may or may not exist Descartes' argument = Thinking of oneself proves one's own existence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Arguments from Reason

    • Ontological arguments attempt to prove God's existence based on the definition of God, using reason and logic instead of experience.
    • A priori arguments, meaning they don't rely on experience.

    Anselm's Ontological Argument

    • Anselm (1093-1109), a British Catholic monk, presented an ontological argument in his book "Proslogion".
    • His argument emphasizes "faith seeking understanding," aiming to strengthen faith through reason.
    • The argument is a priori, relying solely on logic and reasoning, not on experience.
    • Anselm defines God as "that than which nothing greater can be conceived." This means God is the greatest possible being.
    • God's existence in reality is greater than simply existing in the imagination.
    • Therefore, God must exist in reality, because existence in reality makes God greater. If God does not exist in reality, then something greater than him could be conceived. A simpler form of this is:
      1. God is that than which nothing greater can be conceived.
      2. Existing in reality is greater than existing in the imagination.
      3. God must exist in reality, or else something greater than him could be conceived, contradicting his definition.

    Anselm's Second Ontological Argument

    • His second argument focuses on God's necessary existence.
    • Necessary existence is existence that does not depend on anything else.
    • Contingent existence is existence that depends on something else.
    • God must exist in a necessary way, because a necessary existent is greater than a contingent existent
    • Anselm argues that God, as the greatest conceivable being, must have necessary existence, because a necessary being is greater than a contingent being.

    Gaunilo's Criticisms

    • Gaunilo, a contemporary of Anselm, critiqued Anselm's argument using a reductio ad absurdum.
    • Gaunilo used the concept of a "greatest possible island" to argue that Anselm's method could prove the existence of anything imaginable.
    • Gaunilo's first criticism is a reductio ad absurdum.
    • Gaunilo said that Anselm's argument could be used to prove the existence of the greatest imaginable island.
    • If there is a greatest imaginable island (with maximum perfection), then it would have to exist in reality, because being real is better than existing only in thought.
    • His argument shows that if Anselm is valid, then every imaginable concept can be shown to exist in reality.

    Plantinga's Response

    • Plantinga argues that Gaunilo's criticism is invalid because it doesn't apply to God in the same way it does to an imaginary island.
    • God has intrinsic perfection, unlike an imaginary island.

    Descartes' Argument

    • René Descartes, a French philosopher and sceptic, independently presented an ontological argument.
    • He focused on the concept of perfection to argue for God's existence using a similar argument structure to Anselm. God is the supremely perfect being, by essence, and by perfection. This, by essence, would necessitate existence as a perfection.

    Kant's Criticisms

    • Immanuel Kant argued that existence is not a predicate, meaning it cannot be a characteristic or property that can describe something. It is a way of classifying something into a category in our understanding.
    • Kant's criticism of ontological arguments is that existence is not a characteristic like other attributes.
    • Kant argues that you cannot deduce existence from a description. Thus analytic statements (statements that are only about ideas) cannot give us synthetic statements (statements that are about reality), as the idea of God doesn't imply his actual existence.
    • Malcolm countered Kant and argued that necessary existence is indeed a predicate.

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    Test your knowledge on Anselm's ontological argument and the critiques it faces. This quiz covers key concepts, definitions, and the significance of Anselm's contributions to philosophy. Perfect for students studying philosophy or religious thought.

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